By Irene Maslowski
Lawrenceville, NJ- In accordance with its solid commitment to supporting New Jersey healthcare, MDAdvantage Insurance Company of New Jersey (www.MDAdvantageonline.com) today announced the introduction of the Edward J. Ill Excellence in Medicine Scholarship Fund.
Beginning this year, all profits from the annual Edward J. Ill Excellence in Medicine Awards® (www.EJIawards.org) will be dedicated to medical student scholarships. This new fund is a perfect fit with the awards program named after Edward J. Ill, MD, a New Jersey physician who was a pioneer in promoting medical education in ways that set the national standard. While the longstanding awards program has been honoring physicians since 1939, it did not take on a charitable purpose until MDAdvantage began sponsoring the event in 2003.
MDAdvantage and the Edward J. Ill Excellence in Medicine Foundation created the scholarship fund in recognition of a demonstrated need to support healthcare education in New Jersey. In fact, a recent report by the New Jersey Council on Teaching Hospitals revealed an anticipated shortage of 2,800 doctors in New Jersey by 2020 unless the state becomes a more appealing place to open a practice.
“Our physicians are among the top providers in the nation,” said Patricia A. Costante, Chairman and CEO of MDAdvantage. “We must continue to support the development and education of physicians so New Jersey families can continue to have access to the high quality healthcare to which we have become accustomed. MDAdvantage is honored to have this opportunity to support efforts that invest in the future of New Jersey’s healthcare system.”
This year, a scholarship will be funded at three of the schools at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ): UMDNJ- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, UMDNJ- New Jersey Medical School in Newark and UMDNJ- School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford. Scholarships will be awarded to New Jersey residents who have demonstrated financial need, excellence in academics and commitment to the community. The Foundation of UMDNJ will oversee the selection of the scholarship recipients.
George F. Heinrich, MD, Vice Chairman and CEO of the Foundation of UMDNJ, said that, “At a time when medical schools across the state are facing significant budget cutbacks, I am pleased to have forged a partnership with MDAdvantage and the Edward J. Ill Excellence in Medicine Foundation. We all share a common goal: to recruit the best and brightest to New Jersey and to keep them practicing here.”
In the future, the Edward J. Ill Excellence in Medicine Foundation hopes to offer scholarships to additional UMDNJ schools, including the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the New Jersey Dental School, the School of Nursing, the School of Public Health and the School of Health Related Professions.
This year’s awards will be presented at the Edward J. Ill Excellence in Medicine Awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 5, 2010, 6 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Princeton. To purchase tickets or advertisements for the event or to learn more about the awards, contact the Edward J. Ill Excellence in Medicine Foundation at 609-803-2350 or visit www.EJIawards.org.
The awards program is sponsored by MDAdvantage Insurance Company of New Jersey, a leading provider of medical professional liability insurance in New Jersey. For more information on MDAdvantage, call 888-355-5551 or visit www.MDAdvantageonline.com.
